


pomegranate afternoons

by stockholmstan



Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Gender Issues, ITS A GRYLES GREEK AU!!!, M/M, also, harry is persephone and nick is hades, liam is technically harry's dad???, this is most definitely for my own benefit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-16 02:51:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10562190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stockholmstan/pseuds/stockholmstan
Summary: This is the famous story of Persephone and Hades. Well, if Persephone was a boy with major daddy issues, and Hades was really just a harmless, pouty man wearing all-black clothes. It's really not that different.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is my longtime brainchild (brainbaby?) wherein i wanted a greek mythology au to add to the plethora of gryles fics and found my much loved persephone and hades in my copy of "Mythology" by Edith Hamilton.... it is the first fic i have ever posted but definitely won't be the last... i have a whole list of au's that i want to cry over with gryles involved so pls stay tuned if u feel me. ALSO!! peep the end for the epilogue✨✨

Life was quiet for Harry. It wasn’t something he complained about. 

 

Harry flourished in the small meadow near the home he shared with his mother. He would sit there in the sunny, warm afternoons and lay around like a lazy cat, smiling softly when the deer or birds or any of the forest creatures, really, came up and nuzzled closely to him. Their little prince, he was. He gave all of the animals names and spent the whole day in their company, until his mother called for dinner. 

 

Then, upon his arrival home, he would giggle at Demeter’s attempt to feign disapproval at his lateness, but they both knew she would have been in her garden all day, lost to the rest of the world. 

 

What an idyllic, simple life they lived, far away from Olympus, from the chaos of the feuding Gods.

 

Harry remembers once meeting Poseidon at an Olympian gathering. Of course he was asked to be called Louis, as all of the Gods dropped the pretense of their titles around “the family”. Louis was brash, and his eyes would flash electric blue, full of the ocean and despair, which embodied his station.

 

(Harry once asked his mother why Louis looked so sad all the time. She said that he carried the despair and longing of every man who sets out to sail for something greater, that he feels the pain of every man’s death when he lets the chaos overtake his control of the tide, that he is one of the oldest of the old and knows and remembers all of the tragedy he has seen.)

 

Louis had asked Harry about his Godly name and gender. “I do hope I do not offend, but why have you taken on your male form, while being a Goddess of spring?”

 

Harry wanted to laugh. The question was simple, but the answer was long and complicated. It was not necessarily looked down upon (maybe by his father), but Gods switching genders was fairly uncommon. Louis was obviously being very careful with his words, and Harry didn’t want to shake him too much; he looked a bit fragile to Harry. So he smiled, not unkindly. “I wanted to.”

 

Harry remembers his father’s reaction as well. The last time he saw Zeus was when he had taken to hiding from Hera, after spawning another halfblood with a human. It was just after Harry thought,  _ Well, Persephone can be a  _ boy  _ too.  _ And Demeter was so happy for Harry, being the loving “tree-hugger” who had cared for Harry his whole existence. Until Zeus came. 

 

Liam wasn’t necessarily  _ angry  _ with Harry. More like confused. Harry never had a spectacular relationship with him (He always insisted that Harry call him Liam, it was more modern), because Hera (“Call me Zayn,  _ please.  _ I’m practically your stepfather.”) absolutely  _ hated  _ Demeter.

 

“I just don’t understand why?” They were stood outside of Harry’s home. Demeter had conveniently needed to visit a faraway town where a man-made ravaged their forests and was not present for the confrontation.

 

Harry rolled his eyes. “Because I  _ wanted  _ to. It feels right. Also, no offense, but double standard much?” 

 

Liam blinked at him. “What double standard?”

 

He snorted. “Zayn? We’ve all seen the ancient texts where he was a Goddess, c’mon.”

 

“Well, I, um… Alright.” He coughed awkwardly. “How is your mother?”

 

And that was the end of the conversation. Frankly, that was the end of all the questions about being  _ Harry.  _ He was sure Liam had mentioned something to the main council in Olympus and asked them to be respectful. 

 

Which is of course why Niall flew down in those blasted sandals to annoy him. Harry had a lot of half brothers and sisters, but most of them ignored him in favor of staying in Olympus and away from the frivolous love of nature and humans. Not Niall. Niall  _ loved  _ to listen to Harry’s stories about humans. He thought Olympus was stuffy, and during family events they made fun of the antics of Aphrodite and Ares and their drama. Especially after Niall discovered daytime soap operas. 

 

So his arrival wasn’t very surprising. Harry was greeted with a “I’m gonna call you Haz as your nickname,” and a slap on the shoulder. They spent the day watching said soaps and eating very, very unhealthy food that would not decompose in Demeter’s decomp pile. (If Harry hid the empty bags of chips and candies in his sock drawer so his mother wouldn’t find it, that was between him and Niall.) After nearly five hours of sitting on the sofa, Harry  _ had  _ to move. In Niall’s defense, he was nearly always moving and flying all over, but Harry hadn’t been outside  _ all day.  _ And his animals probably missed him. 

 

Niall was snoring, not altogether softly, next to Harry. He was truly gone to the world. Harry could just… sneak out, right? And be back before Niall even woke up. Done deal. It was a plan. When he shut the front door behind him, Harry made sure to do it with so much care to keep it silent. For all the deep sleeping Niall did on Harry’s couch, his ears were extremely sensitive. Came with the territory apparently, being the messengers of the Gods or whatever. 

 

By the time he made it to his meadow, the sun had just started setting, and there was a hush. One by one, as if they had a sixth sense to noticing Harry’s arrival, his animals started making their way out of the brush. Harry felt instantly calmer and at ease.

 

All of a sudden, there was a cold gust of wind which creeped up Harry’s spine and made him shiver. Harry’s animals rushed away. There was only one person who made an entrance that way.

 

“Nick,” he whispered. The wind rushed up all around him, as if embracing him, and then a figure appeared in front of him. Nick, in all his foreboding glory, dressed in his robes of ebony, started towards him. 

 

All of the calm that Harry felt moments ago disappeared as quickly as it came. It was replaced by a heightened heart rate, sweaty palms, and a slight nervousness. For all that the presence of the actual Hades encompassed, Harry really only felt  _ excitement.  _ A mischievous smile flashed on his face, and any uncertainty disappeared. “Nick,” he said, this time louder. He ran towards the man and jumped into his arms, his face fitting well into the crook of his neck. “I missed you.”

 

Nick instantly relaxed. There was a moment where he looked so unsure of Harry, and Harry hated that Nick would ever doubt his love. So insecure, this man was. The man that the humans feared, that the Gods in Olympus banished for his evilness. This man loved Harry, and Harry loved him. They were complete opposites in every single way, but they held each other up. 

 

~

 

_ The first time Harry met Nick was at an Olympian family reunion, decades ago. Harry knew of Nick, everyone knew of Hades, the estranged brother living in Hell, but Harry had never seen him. Nick never came to Olympus, and it was never questioned.  _

 

_ It was also just after Harry switched into Harry. Demeter had walked into the reception room ahead of him, but Harry hung back, preferring to pace the gardens than face the onslaught of questions sure to come from his family.  _

 

_ As he passed the fountain for the third time, Harry looked up and noticed a man standing on the stairs to the entryway. He was dressed somewhat more casually in all black. Harry stopped his pacing and approached the man slowly.  _

 

_ “Excuse me, may I help you find anything?” He said, sweetly. Harry was always known as the kindest in his family.  _

 

_ The man looked at him, almost startled, confused. “Who are you?” It was blunt but honest.  _

 

_ Harry grinned a tinsy bit bashfully. “Well, I-I’m Persephone, Goddess of the Spring, but you can call me Harry!” He opened his arms for a hug. “Who are you?” _

 

_ The man swallowed. “I am Hades.” His voice cracked as he said, softly, “But you can call me Nick.” Then he immediately dropped his head, staring at the ground.  _

 

_ Harry’s grin widened. “Well! It’s absolutely wonderful to meet you!” He dropped his arms. “Why are you waiting outside?” _

 

_ Nick snorted, self-deprecatingly. “Because everyone in there hates me? Anyways, aren’t you supposed to be in there with mummy and daddy?” _

 

_ Harry’s brows furrowed not in concentration, but rather confusion. “You’re deflecting,” he stated, almost as if thinking to himself. “Rather than face your emotions, you deflect and lash out at people around you.” He breathed. “Interesting…” _

 

_ “Excuse me, springling, but don’t you think someone might get the wrong idea if you’re out here talking to me, the family ‘black sheep’ instead of being Zeus’s little darling…” He paused. “...son.” _

 

_ Harry ignored and leaned in close to whisper, “It’s okay if you’re afraid. I am too sometimes.” Already far too close to Nick’s body for casual conversation, Harry wrapped his arms around Nick’s shoulders (how was he so bloody tall?!).  _

 

_ Nick hesitantly hugged Harry back, Harry swaying them slightly and rubbing his back. When he pulled back, Harry giggled softly. “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it? Just because Zeus is my father, doesn’t mean I’m like them. In fact I rather despise them. That’s why I was hiding out in the garden. Mother just goes so she can listen to gossip about Hera.” _

 

_ The side of Nick’s mouth crooks up. “You’re alright, springling.” _

 

~

 

When Nick pulled away from their embrace, he whispered very softly, almost intimately in his ear, “I need you to scream, darling.” Harry looked surprised but Nick was smirking. “We’re playing  _ their  _ game now.”

 

They had talked about this before, how they would fake Harry’s kidnapping and bargain with the Gods of Olympus. At first Harry was worried about that; wouldn’t it only be worse if Nick were to seem like he was putting Harry in harm? But then Harry remembered his mother’s strange glances at him after they came home from the family dinner that first time Harry talked to Nick, almost as if she knew what he was thinking and could smell death on him. She had looked at him like he was tainted goods. So Nick and Harry began their plan. 

 

Now, Harry smiled shyly at Nick. “I love you, you know.”

 

Nick placed his palm gently on Harry’s cheek. “You too, springling. Go on now.” He held tightly onto Harry’s arms. 

 

Harry took a deep, shuddering breath and, closing his eyes, he screamed loud, so loud he was sure that Niall was awake now. He could almost feel Demeter’s distress in the sudden change of weather. The skies darkened, clouds covered the sun, and the surrounding forest was unnaturally quiet. Harry opened his eyes, looking into Nick’s, and felt them start to slip, almost like being sucked into a vacuum of space. And they were gone. 

 

Harry had never been to the Underworld before. He knew it was Nick’s home and all, but he didn’t talk much about it. Well, it was Harry’s home too 

now, he supposed. 

 

Nick’s palace was sort of dreary but in a warm, dark sort of way. Lots of molten rock, lanterns. Very Victorian gothic. Nick knew very good human interior designers and liked to brag about it constantly. Two seemingly normal dogs awaited their arrival inside on the staircase. Harry snuck a glance around the vicinity, in search of a certain three-headed dog that he’d heard rumors of. 

 

“Hiya, Pig! Hiya, Stinky!” Nick cooed. The dogs quickly rushed to their owner in search of belly scratches and adorative words, their tongues wagging. 

 

It looked so normal that Harry had to smile. Everything would work out as long as he had Nick. As long as he had  _ this  _ Nick, the Nick who loved his dogs and Harry and interior design. Not the Nick that his mother talked about, who drove the family apart, who Liam and Louis once cared for so much but now could hardly stand his presence. Harry wanted to stay with this Nick wrapped up in his (their) home, away from the land of the living (both literally and figuratively), as long as he could. 

 

In short, they would be okay. 

  
  
  
  


_ The second time they met was in a similar fashion, except they actually got through the door this time. Nick was sat next to Louis, who was decidedly ignoring Nick’s existence, at the table. Harry was next to his mother and Niall, of course. However, Nick and Harry were directly across from one another. Every time Hera said something mean, or Zeus said something with a sense of superiority, Nick rolled his eyes and made sure Harry saw. Harry spent most of the night laughing into his napkin.  _

 

_ Somewhere between Nick imitating Zeus with a very pinched face and Harry snorting his ambrosia through his nose, Harry came to the realization that he found Nick to be rather attractive, in a brooding, sort of sad-boy way. They snuck away, the two, after dinner for a stroll in the gardens as the sky reached twilight. Once they were far enough away from the palace, Nick began to talk about the purpose of “walking it off” after a meal. _

 

_ “...Listen, springling, I tell you, I’m not getting any younger and unfortunately I don’t power on the natural energy of flowers like you.” _

 

_ Harry harrumphed, as stroppy as a quasi-teenager could be. “You know that’s a myth!” _

 

_ “Semantics, semantics! All I’m saying is-” _

 

_ And then Harry pushed Nick up against an ivy-covered wall and softly pressed his lips to Nick’s. At first, Nick reciprocated, and it was a truly lovely kiss. But then he pushed Harry away, and Harry stumbled back, putting a significant amount of space between the two.  _

 

_ “No… no way.” Nick was breathless.  _

 

_ “Nick, please…” _

 

_ Nick shook his head, and Harry finally got a good look at his face. He was suddenly sickly pale, eyes feral and wild. “You don’t know what I’ve seen, springling.  _ No _.”  _

 

_ Before he could run off, Harry grabbed Nick’s wrist. “You know that isn’t fair, Nick. Don’t treat me like a child. Talk to me.” They stared at each other, until Nick’s eyes visibly softened.  _

 

_ “You’re not a child, but you’re so innocent, Harry. Me? I am tainted. I am the embodiment of sin and terror. I reek of death, and you are the entity of growth and life. It could never happen. Not only would  _ they _ refuse to allow it, but you would be miserable with me for eternity. You belong here.” Nick gently, but firmly, removed Harry’s hand from his wrist, and slowly moved in close to Harry’s mouth. Just when Harry thought maybe Nick would kiss him again, maybe he changed his mind, kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, Nick turned his head and kissed Harry’s cheek, just a brush of his lips before he disappeared with a pop.  _

 

_ The tears building up in Harry’s eyes spilled over and he quietly sobbed to himself. It wasn’t  _ fair _.  _

 

~ 

 

Harry was already tired. Within a few hours of being Nick’s palace, he felt himself diminishing slowly. How to tell Nick was his biggest worry, though. Harry knew that once he let on to Nick that his body was reacting negatively to the hellish home, Nick would return him immediately. 

 

But Harry wouldn’t be able to stand the look of sadness cast over Nick’s face, especially when he was so, so happy that Harry was even there in the first place. Currently, Nick was playing with his dogs and talking to him in that baby voice he put on just for them (“Stinky baby, you just want that chew toy,  _ don’t  _ you?! Oh, but you  _ have  _ to beat Pig to get it!!”). Nick kept glancing shyly over at Harry with a small smile, ever the dutiful host. 

 

“Darling?” Nick’s voice shocked Harry out of his reverie. 

 

“Hmm?” He responded, smiling dopily. 

 

“Are you quite alright? I’ll call for dinner soon.”

 

Harry nodded and pulled Nick into him, from his perch on the great black leather couch, wanting to feel his boyfriend close to him. “Do you drink ambrosia here?”

 

Nick snorted. “We may be in Hell, my dear, but we aren’t  _ savages.  _ Of course we will have ambrosia at dinner.”

 

Harry huffed tiredly and grabbed Nick’s hand, twining their fingers together. “I like when you call me darling and dear. I want a name for you.” Then he raised his face to look at Nick with a perfectly curated pout. The Pout was known to turn Zeus into a big softie when Harry was young. 

 

Nick sighed comfortably. “You’re quite monkey-like today, climbing all over me. Are you sure you’re alright?”

 

“Yes. Jus’ tired from th’ trip today.” Harry then snuggled his face even further into Nick’s neck.”

 

“Hmmm… Springling, I think you’re lying to me.” Nick wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist. “Do you regret coming?”

 

Harry was startled enough to jerk from the embrace. “Absolutely not, you big brute. I love you.” He glared with a gaze to rival the fires of Hell.

 

Nick just stared, searching in his eyes to see if he was lying. He sighed, giving up. “Then you need to tell me what’s wrong right now or I’m taking you back.”

 

“N-Nick, do you not want me-”

 

“Of  _ course  _ I want you here-”

 

“Then why would you say that?” Harry looked on the verge of tears. Shaking, the poor dear. 

 

Nick grabbed his wrists and pulled Harry back into his lap. “ _ Because  _ you nutter, I  _ know  _ you, and I know that if something’s wrong, you don’t like telling people because you want everything to be perfect. But I love you too and I need to make sure you take care of yourself, especially right now.”

 

Harry was stunned into silence, with his face smushed up against Nick’s. “I-” he paused, wanting to word it carefully. “I think my body isn’t responding very well to the whole, you know, ‘We’re living in Hell with your fit older boyfriend!’ thing, but. I’m just guessing on that one.”

 

Nick took a deep breath in and closed his eyes. He was quiet for three whole minutes. “Okay, so… we need to get you some ambrosia and sleep. Stat.”

 

Harry, surprised, glanced up at Nick’s face, where he was smiling very softly. Harry mimicked his face to match, so they were both sillily smiling at each other like love-drunk dopes.

 

“I won’t let you wilt, my little Springling.” And Nick kissed his forehead and his temple and his nose and his eyelids and his cheeks and his lips. “I love you.”

 

Harry whispered, “I love you.” He kissed Nick one more time and then snuggled back into his chest. 

 

~

 

_ Harry was stewing in his anger. How  _ dare  _ Nick try treat Harry like a child, telling him who he’s supposed to be?! That would just not do.  _

 

_ So at the request of Niall, who was better at keeping secrets than any God or Goddess (he  _ did  _ of course know  _ everyone’s  _ secrets), Harry had sneakily sent a note summoning Nick to his little meadow. Surely Nick would know it was Harry who sent the note as soon as he read it, but Harry could only hope Nick would actually respond.  _

 

_ Harry paced the clearing, angrily awaiting Nick’s arrival.  _

 

Pop!

 

_ Harry’s head jerked up to see Nick’s darkly-robed figure in front of him, Nick’s face alarmed and worried.  _

 

_ “Harry, what’s going on? Has something happened? I don’t think I’ve seen little Hermes in the underworld since you were just a cherub.”  _

 

_ In response, Harry strided up to Nick, as close as he dared, and slapped him cleanly across his cheek.  _

 

_ Nick flinched and grabbed his cheek. “Wha-?” _

 

_ “ _ That’s  _ for trying to tell me who I am.  _ As if  _ everyone I know hasn’t already tried to do that my whole  _ life.”  _ His glare was mighty. “‘Oh no, Persephone, you can’t do that, you’re Zeus’s little girl, oh no, Persephone, you’re a  _ goddess _ , you can’t suddenly be a boy.’ I’m tired of it, Nick! I expected something different from you of all people.” And then Harry was finished and heaving from the exertion of his rant. _

 

_ Nick just blinked. _

 

_ And for a long moment, nearly too long, the two just stared at each other, Harry angry and Nick unreadable. Finally, Nick lowered his hand and slowly inched closer toward Harry, as if approaching a wild animal, until he could wrap his arms around Harry’s shoulders and pulled him flush to his chest.  _

 

_ Slowly, Harry’s shoulders lowered and his breathing slowed. Nick pulled back so that he could look properly at Harry’s face.  _

 

_ “I’m afraid I’ve gotten you all worked up over something quite silly,” Nick started.  _

 

_ Harry immediately bristled at ‘silly’. “S’not silly, Nicholas.” _

 

_ Nick huffed out a laugh. “I don’t mean you, love, I mean  _ me.”  _ He smiled softly at Harry’s confused face. “I was wrong, and you were right. I shouldn’t have pushed you away.” _

 

_ Harry whispered, “So why did you?” _

 

_ And Nick had never really regretted too many things in his long existence. He had seen far too much death and despair and loneliness to truly think twice about his actions. But at that very moment, he regretted nothing than making Harry feel as small and insignificant as he looked. Nick hoped he could spend the rest of eternity making him smile, making him happy, and loving him.  _

 

_ “I’m naturally a selfish person, darling.” There was no more humor in his voice. “I believe life is pointless because I know only of death. But  _ you.. _ are Life personified. You must realize that I would never forgive myself if my toxic life drained you of the purest life you could live. You deserve the absolute best. You deserve to live, Harry.” _

 

_ Harry scoffed. “You’re right about one thing, Nick. You really are silly. Quite daft as well.” _

 

_ It was Nick’s turn to look confused then.  _

 

_ “Think about it,” Harry rolled his eyes. “You think you would harm me if you were in my life?  _ You. Are. Everything.  _ If I couldn’t have you, that would absolutely destroy me.” _

 

_ Nick squeaked, “Oh.” _

 

_ “Yeah,” Harry breathed. And then he kissed Nick. This time Nick didn’t pull away. For a long time.  _

 

_ The rest as they say is  _ history. 

 

~

 

They were finally sat down for dinner in Nick’s lavish dining hall (how many dinner guests did the God of Hell really have?), and it was probably the first time Harry thought of his mother, though he felt guilty even admitting that. Demeter and Harry ate dinner together as their own little family every night. By now, Demeter would be home and would know Harry was gone. He didn’t know what she was going to do without him, all alone. 

 

“What are you staring at off into space, darling?” Nick says, breaking Harry out of his reverie. 

 

Then Nick passed Harry the fruit platter with a shy smile (the smile that Harry had discovered was reserved just for  _ him _ ), and Harry forgot about his mother. He was here with Nick, the truest love he had ever felt. He was reminded of why he made sacrifices. Harry grabbed a bunch of grapes and a handful of blueberries for his plate and took a long gulp of the ambrosia, all the time staring at Nick. 

 

“Oh, nothing important. Just thinking about how lucky I am.” He could feel his strength spread back into his bones, and the energy that only the Goddess of Spring possessed returned to him. 

 

“Well, something is being downright cheesy ton-”

 

Harry cut him off and pushed back his chair and stood up suddenly, dropping his silverware. Nick glanced up at him, mouth still full of the roasted chicken, and stopped chewing. His mouth quirked. “Something I can do for you, springling?” He joked, though Harry still could detect a hint of worry in his eyes. 

 

“Fuck me.”

 

Nick’s eyes widened and he coughed, and, subsequently, began choking in surprise. Harry rushed over to him, handing him his glass of ambrosia and patting his back firmly. Finally Nick was alright, but his breathing was labored. He stared at Harry, as if challenging him, and said, “Are you serious?”

 

Harry frowned slightly and reached out to brush his fingers against Nick’s cheekbone and watched him shudder in response. “Of course I’m serious.”

 

“No offense, darling, but a few hours ago you were feeling poorly. I don’t want to hurt you.”

 

Harry harrumphed. “Nicholas, I love you, but who in Hell would decline sexy times from their lover after finally getting them alone in what feels like  _ years _ ! Honestly!” He paused and restarted in a softer tone, “I really am feeling much better now that I had the ambrosia and took a nap. I’m fine, you won’t break me.”

 

Nick broke into giggles, bringing Harry’s head toward his so that their foreheads were touching, “Did...you...just say... _ sexy times _ ?!”

 

Harry ignored Nick’s words and brought his mouth close to Nick’s ear. Whispering breathily, he said, “You can either meet me in your bedroom in 20 seconds and join me, or I can do myself.” With that being said, he got up and turned and stalked out of the dining hall and down the hallway, without looking to see if Nick was following. 

 

Nick was most definitely following, pupils black and dilated, a certain fury of passion in the eyes which had seen all of the suffering in the world. He watched his young lover strut in front of him in his form-fitting pants (his arse was a dream and Nick was alright with never waking up) down the cold marble hallway, until reaching the door to Nick’s bedroom. 

 

They entered the room together, and Harry instantly went to the massive four-poster bed with silky black sheets. At the foot of the bed, Harry started to undress, while Nick chose to sit in the lounge chair in the corner of the room and watch. Once he was completely naked, Harry hopped onto the bed and spread himself out. If Nick was just going to watch, then Harry had better put on a show. He said this aloud, much to Nick’s delight. 

 

Harry was already hard as he laid down. With his eyes meeting Nick’s, he slowly dragged his hand down his chest and stomach and grabbed his cock, steadily stroking it and flicking the tip with his thumb. Suddenly he got an even better idea; something to make Nick  _ want  _ to join. He rolled over and got onto all fours, with his back arched so that his arse was all out for Nick to see. 

 

He messily got his fingers wet in his mouth, before reaching back and softly prodding at his hole, waiting for his middle finger to catch on the edge. As it slowly pushed inside of him, he let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t done this in so long. It went in further, and when Harry pulled out, he pushed back in with two. He turned his head to the side to look at Nick, who had his pants open and his cock out, stroking it while staring at the sight of Harry. Harry smirked, “Do you have any oil, Nick? It’s awfully tight.”

 

Nick stood up and positively growled, “You little minx.” Harry preened, as he watched him reach into one of the bedside tables and pull out a bottle of oil. Nick then walked back around the bed to where Harry’s arse was presenting. “You put on such a good show for me, didn’t you, darling?”

 

Harry closed his eyes in pleasure as he heard Nick slick his fingers up with the oil behind him. When Nick’s finger entered his hole, Harry was struck by how much bigger Nick’s hands were to Harry’s and how the one finger equated the two Harry had in before. Nick, sensing that Harry was already stretched that much, pressed back in with two fingers, feeling Harry adjust to the size and to the feeling of having something inside him. Then he began to scissor his fingers, and if Harry’s soft, breathy moans were any consolation, it felt very good. 

 

“Darling,” Nick whispered as he leant over Harry’s back to speak into ear. “Do you think you’re ready for me?”

 

Harry simply nodded tightly. Nick removed his fingers, much to Harry’s displeasure, whining at the emptiness. He could hear again Nick slicking himself with the oil, but this time it was his dick. “Nick, please,” He whimpered. “M’not gonna last much longer.” 

 

And suddenly Nick was everywhere and everything and so close to Harry in every way. He slowly guided his cock into Harry’s hole, all the while pressing little kisses on Harry’s back, which had become sweaty with exertion. And then Nick was fully inside Harry, and with it, Harry felt all of the fires of Hell rushing up through his body in passion and pleasure, in the most intense ways possible. Nick slowly began to thrust and the tip of his cock nudged against Harry’s prostate every time. 

 

And soon enough Nick’s pace began to lose its earlier rhythm as Harry could feel him get closer. So Harry reached for his own cock to relieve the tension and help himself. Nick quickly noticed and batted Harry’s hand away, taking his cock into his bigger hand that was literally  _ inside of  _ Harry minutes ago. Something about the way Nick twisted his wrist as he stroked Harry’s dick felt like magic and sin, and Harry felt so, so close. “Nick,” he rasped. “Almost there.”

 

“Me too, love.” Nick thrusted one, two, three times, and then Harry felt the warmest sensation inside his belly where Nick had come. Since coming, Nick focused solely on Harry’s orgasm, squeezing with slightly more pressure, and it only took seconds for Harry to follow in Nick’s footsteps. 

 

Nick pushed them both back further on the bed, so that their heads laid on pillows and Nick could wrap his arm around Harry’s shoulders and draw him into his chest for a kiss on the cheek and a quick cuddle. And although Harry knew they should clean themselves off and change the sheets, he couldn’t bring himself to leave the embrace of the man he loved most. Even if he was in Hell.

 

~

 

Harry was, in a word, disoriented when he woke up next. There was no sunlight in the Underworld, and he didn’t have any idea of what the time was. The only thing anchoring him to the present was Nick, his sweet Nick, softly snuffling and lying next to Harry as he breathed in his sleep. Harry lifted himself up slightly to lean over Nick and just watch. Be in awe of the deity that he was allowed to love. 

 

As if his unconscious body was aware of Harry’s stare, Nick’s snuffling stopped and his eyelashes fluttered softly as they opened. Upon focusing on Harry’s figure, Nick broke out into a soft smile. “Hi there, darling.”

 

And that was the calm before the storm. 

 

Harry and Nick woke up together, with soft kisses and caresses just on the side of foreplay until Nick’s stomach grumbled and they both fell into laughter. They had their breakfast together (two glasses of ambrosia for Harry) and spoke softly to each other, about silly things like adopting another dog and naming it “Baby’s Breath” and the recipe Harry knew for a salad that would make Nick’s come taste like vanilla. They had no agenda but each other. 

 

Then, that’s when they heard the banging, the yells. Sounds of a thousand disturbed men resonated through the house, screams of “Let him  _ go,  _ Satan” amplified in their ears. Nick and Harry, the latter more visibly, were terrified. The noises were agonizing, full of human sorrow and pain.

 

“What is this, Nick?” Harry asked, desperately. “What’s happening?” 

 

Nick grimaced. “It sounds like my dear old brother has found out where you are, darling.” There was a slight gleam in his eyes. Whether of fury or amusement, Harry did not know. “How rude of him. Poseidon always knew my least favorite nickname was Satan.”

 

“Poseidon?” Harry’s eyes widened as he realized. “They found me.”

 

“Yes,” Nick huffed. “It would seem that they have indeed.”

 

Suddenly a window crashed from the corridor closest to the kitchen, and the sound grew stronger. “Let him  _ go _ .” “Harryyyyyy….” At one point Harry could swear he heard his mother calling him in a perverted version of her comforting voice. Chills rushed through his spine. Feet began to loudly stomp from the second story of the palace. They were inside now. 

 

Harry grabbed for Nick’s arm, shaking and hiccuping, on the verge of sobs. “Nick,” he cried. “Don’t let them take me. Please please please  _ please.  _ I don’t- they’ll take me away.” He grabbed Nick’s sleep shirt with his fists, as if tethering 

himself to his lover. “I love you, I love you-” The sobs took over, and Nick had never heard gut-wrenching noises come from another human before. 

 

Nick grabbed Harry, pulling him flush to his chest. “Darling, darling, shh. You’ll be fine. It’s all right. I’m right here, my springling. I love you so much.” He kept whispering soft little nothings in Harry’s ear, as the imminent approach of the voices continued. 

 

Nick pulled ever so slightly away from Harry’s ear to yell out, “Poseidon! Come out! We surrender! Do not harm him!” Harry jumped. The voices and the footfalls all stopped, until it was eerily quiet. 

 

And Louis appeared, strolling down the hallway, as if he had been there all along, as if he hadn’t just terrorized them. His eyes were alight with fury but with a misleading smirk on his face. “Interesting how the souls of men lost at sea still pledge their allegiance to me, even in the afterlife,” he mused. 

 

Harry lifted his head ever so slightly to peek at Louis, then sobbed once and burrowed closer to Nick. 

 

Louis laughed, in a slightly unattractive way, with his pixie-like face scrunching up in devious pleasure. “What’s this then? Preyed on another pure boy, Satan?” 

 

Nick didn’t take the bait. “Harry doesn’t want to come home, thanks. Appreciate the concern, truly, but we’re alright here. You can leave.”

 

“You know, I don’t think I will. Special orders from our other brother, of course. Harry’s father.” Louis paced the room, with hands on his hips, before plopping into the large stuffed chair in front of Nick and Harry. “He spoke to Harry’s mother, who was all in a fuss about the missing Harry, crying and crying and crying. Came home expecting Harry waiting for her, ever the perfect son, only to find that no one but a snoring Hermes was home. She cried so much that no crops are growing, Nicholas. The fields have all been flooded by her sorrow.

 

“And at first she just thought Harry had run away, just left her. But it didn’t make any  _ sense.  _ You see, she quickly connected that the two of you had become close, which of course she had her worries about that in the first place. Dear Liam realized you, Nicky, were radio silent, even more so than usual. And well, it’s just my luck that he asked me to come collect the both of you. You’ve been summoned to Olympus.”

 

~

 

When they appeared at the entrance hall in Olympus, they surely made a strange sight. Nick was handcuffed (special Louis handcuffs, made of water) and pale. Harry was still weepy, with his arm linked under the right handcuffed arm of Nick, suddenly a monkey needing bodily contact at all times (Nick would never mention aloud how much he appreciated Harry’s heightened affection towards him). Louis took the lead, looking well chuffed with his “prisoners” so to speak. 

 

They were led into the Olympic throne room, where Zeus and Hera and Demeter and Niall sat, surrounded by other deities. Niall looked guilty, Hera bored. Demeter had the fires of Hell in her eyes as she glared at Nick. Zeus’s face remained neutral, which was more frightening than anything. 

 

Zeus sighed. “Harry, go to your mother.”

 

“ _ No! _ I’m not leaving Nick, he didn’t do anything wrong-” He whimpered. 

 

“ _ Go.”  _ He snapped. He motioned for Louis to move Harry, who dragged him towards Demeter on the other side of the room. Harry screamed and sobbed out, reaching out for Nick, but Nick could hardly move with the handcuffs restricting him. He tried to soothe the boy with his words instead. 

 

“It’s alright, darling. It’s fine. Nothing is going to happen.” 

 

Harry visibly relaxed, still shaking, as Demeter wrapped her arms around him. However, Harry batted away her arms with a glower. Demeter removed her hands as if her son had just burned her. He turned back to face Zeus, sitting haughtily next to Hera, daring him to go on. Louis moved back to stand just behind Nick, whose back stiffened as if on guard.

 

They were cornered like cowering animals. 

 

“I’m sure Louis has told you why you have been summoned. Nick, did you really think you could  _ do  _ this? After everything that’s happened in the past?”

 

Nick huffed. “I don’t believe you understand what actually happened. Maybe talk to Harry?” He peeked at the boy, who froze at the mention of his name. 

 

Everyone stared pointedly at Harry, waiting for him to speak.  _ C’mon love,  _ Nick thought, knowing Harry was nervous.  _ You just gotta make them leave us alone. _

 

“N-Nick’s right.” He spoke finally. “I  _ love  _ him. I don’t know why you hate him so much, but I  _ love  _ him and I want to stay with him.” The poor dear looks like a deer in headlights, with his great big eyes widened in fear of his own voice. 

 

Demeter grabbed Harry’s arm tightly, pulled him back toward her, yelling, “Can’t you see that  _ thing _ has  _ brainwashed _ him?! He doesn’t know what he’s saying!” Harry whimpered from the pain of his mother’s nails dug into his skin, eyes full of unshed tears. 

 

Nick tried to lunge to pull her off Harry, but the handcuffs and Louis were still restraining him. “She’s  _ hurting  _ Harry!”

 

As quickly as she came, Demeter dropped her grip from Harry’s arm and jumped back, looking disgusted at herself. “ _ Darling,” _ she breathed. Harry ran to Nick, and this time no one stopped him as he wrapped his arms around Nick’s waist, Nick slipping his cuffed hair up and loosely placed around Harry’s neck. 

 

When Nick looked back to the throne, he noticed Hera was paying attention now, intrigued. Zeus looked uncomfortable. “Well, I suppose-” he began to say. 

 

Louis cut him off. “No,  _ hang on _ . Harry doesn’t know everything about you, Nicholas. He  _ just  _ said he doesn’t know why we ‘hate’ you so much. Why don’t you  _ tell him. _ ”

 

The room went deathly quiet, as Nick and Harry separated awkwardly, still stood close and face to face. Harry stared into Nick’s eyes, looking trusting and worried, as if looking for the answer there. “What is he talking about?” he whispered. 

 

Nick cleared his throat, staring up at the ceiling away from those _ eyes _ , trying his hardest to blink away tears as the onslaught of memories consumed him. “Louis, don’t make me do this,  _ please.  _ I’m  _ sorry, _ just don’t make me tell him.”

 

“ _ Do it! _ ” Louis bellowed, eyes blazing, and the handcuffs around Nick’s wrists tightened, creating an excruciating pain that made Nick yelp pitifully. Harry caressed the skin around his wrists, as there was nothing else he could do. 

 

“Okay, okay... fine,” Nick grunted. “There was…. a boy, Harry, eons ago. You probably wouldn’t remember him. You were so  _ young,”  _ His voice broke shakily. “I fell in love with him, and he with me. He wanted to… live with me, to get married. When I took him the Underworld, he began to grow increasingly weaker and weaker the longer he stayed but  _ refused  _ to tell me when I asked. He died.” Nick sighed, jerkily wiping the tears off his cheeks with what little room for movement the cuffs allowed him. “That’s why I was so upset when I first met you, the first time you kissed me. I  _ never want to hurt you. _ ”

 

“But it couldn’t have been your fault. He didn’t  _ tell  _ you, Nick.” Harry caressed Nick’s jaw softly, to which he flinched away from. Nick automatically regretted that as he saw the look of despair in Harry’s face. 

 

“No, Harry, you don’t  _ understand!  _ He was a demigod. He wasn’t as strong as me, or even you. I should’ve  _ known!  _ It was my fault!” Nick cried.

 

“Nick lost a  _ lover, _ ” Louis spat in disgust. “I lost a  _ son. _ ”

 

Harry’s face was one of shock and confusion. “What,” he breathed. 

 

“...My  _ favorite  _ son, in the clutches of our devil brother! My  _ child _ who should’ve been the greatest hero Athens had ever seen  _ died in Hell. _ ” 

 

Every word Louis tore into caused the handcuffs to tighten, more pain for Nick to take. When Harry noticed the blood dripping from the wrists, he cried, “ _ Father!  _ Stop him! He’s harming him!”

 

That’s when Zeus and Apollo and Ares grabbed Louis and pulled him back. In Louis’ slightly distracted state, the handcuffs disappeared from Nick’s wrists and he fell to his knees in haggard relief. Harry wrapped his arms around Nick’s shaking shoulders. Harry sobbed softly.

 

Every deity in the room looked on, disturbed, at the spectacle. 

 

That was when Zeus spoke up for the first time, truly, since they had entered Olympus. “Everyone  _ out _ .” The Gods and Goddesses did not have be told twice, as they all shuffled out quickly, leaving Harry, Nick, Demeter, Zeus, and Poseidon (Hera left begrudgingly at the request of her husband). Zeus sighed, with his thumb and forefinger pinching the bridge of his nose as he breathed with his eyes closed. 

 

When he looked up, Harry and Nick were both staring at him, desperate in each other’s arms, waiting for his verdict. In that moment, Zeus felt the weight of his long existence. His son, his daughter, whoever Harry wanted to be, wasn’t really  _ his child _ anymore. He had no claim over Harry’s decisions whatsoever. The same could be said with Nick, his brother, his equal. Yet still, they waited for him to decide. And decide, Liam did. 

 

“There are conditions to be made for you both, should you decide to spend your lives together like this,” Zeus relented finally.

 

“Anything,” Harry answered, so quickly that he blushed in embarrassment of his eagerness. Nick just looked on at him fondly, weak as he was. That, in the end, is what made Liam’s decision easy. 

 

Liam slowly made his way back to his throne, hands clasped behind his back, in quiet contemplation. “Harry, I require from you a great commitment, to me and to Nick.” He didn’t want to watch Harry’s face as he said what he planned to say. “You may live with Nick in the Underworld as you so choose. But only for the fall and winter where your duties as Goddess...er, God of Spring are not required. However, during the spring and summer, you must live with your mother, so as not to cause a catastrophe.” He turned back around slowly to face them, but not before saying, “These are my conditions.”

 

Despite what Liam may have thought, their reactions were unreadable. Nick just stared at Harry, willing him to look back, his face full of subtle disappointment. Harry looked at the marble floor of the throne room, frowning with his eyebrows drawn in. 

 

It was Harry who spoke first, slowly, as if worried he might mess up his words. “I...do not accept these conditions, father.” He audibly gulped, as he steeled himself for courage to meet Liam’s eyes. Nick physically wilted in on himself. 

 

“What?” Liam asked, surprised.

 

More confident this time, Harry spoke louder. “There is a place I know, shrouded from human contact, deep enough to be the meeting point of Hell and Earth, a cavern. I propose that Nick and I live there, all year round, close enough that we may both fulfill our godly duties without interference or inconvenience.”

 

Harry looked over to where Louis lay restrained on the floor, much like Nick was, prior. “I’m sorry for your son, but that’s not me. I’m not him,” he said, almost pleadingly. He then turned to Nick. “I love you so much.”

 

Nick had grown more and more quiet as the events unfolded before him. But when Harry addressed him, he could only weakly respond back, “My springling, my darling, I love you.” Harry leaned over his hunched figure to press a soft, sweet kiss to his lips. It was quick. After all, Harry’s parents were both in the room.

 

Liam cleared his throat, knowing if he did not speak up soon, he would lose their attention. “I accept this. You’re very clever, Harry.”

 

“Thank you, father.” Harry smiled wearily. As if suddenly remembering himself, he looked to his mother, Demeter, who looked utterly conflicted in the situation. “I love you, mother.”

 

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I love you, my dear.”

  
Then Harry wrapped his arms around his love, holding steadfast, refusing to let go. It felt like closure.


	2. epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Very, Very Short Ending

Things did not end there, just as nothing truly ends, really. 

Nick and Harry made their move to the crevice in the Earth where they could live in peace. On one side of the house, the one facing the entrance to Earth, Harry kept up a garden which, though incomparable to Demeter’s, became one of his joys. Pig and Stinky ran rampant and free, experiencing the sudden exposure to  _ life  _ for the first time. On the other side, the gate to Hell stood, wrought iron and curled and beautiful and damned. Each morning, as a housewife would to her husband on his way to work, Harry would send Nick off with a kiss and a packed lunch. Then Harry would spend his days in his garden, or playing with the dogs, or overseeing the world and his duties as God of Spring. Nick would come home that “night” and they would eat dinner together, their little family. And for the first time, they felt happy and content, knowing there were no secrets, no pain. 

 

That was when Nick noticed the freckles.

 

It didn’t happen that often, and Nick thought he was only dreaming. However, sometimes Harry would be mid-laugh or just looking at something quietly, and Nick would see it.  _ Gold, glowing freckles. _ He didn’t mention it the first four or five times, but one night as they lay in bed, after a good old-fashioned romp, Nick saw it and, surprised, made an awful squeaking noise, which rivaled Harry’s boisterous laugh on a good day. Harry, with an arched eyebrow, made a shocked giggle, and said, “Nicholas? What, have I got something on my face?”

 

“You.. you’re glowing, springling,” Nick said, softly, almost in awe.

 

Harry just grinned. “Awh, thanks, baby. That post-sex glow, you know.”

 

“No, Harry,” He laughed nervously. “You’ve got...gold freckles...They’re glowing.”

 

Harry rolled his eyes and made a face. “Alright, bub. You okay? Did you have a weird day?” He got up from Nick’s warm embrace, anyway, if not to just humor his odd behavior, to take a glance in the bathroom mirror. 

 

Nick couldn’t see his face from his position on the bed, but the loud gasp that most definitely came from a certain Harold keyed him into what he was seeing, and feeling. Harry ran back out, eyes wide, concerned, with those bloody freckles still. 

 

After a good soothing and come-down talk, Harry calmed down and fell asleep, and Nick saw the freckles fade out ever so slowly, not extinguishing necessarily, more like a natural progression of a fire burning out slowly. And from then, after the initial shock, it became something of a joke. 

 

It was when Harry asked his mother at the next family gathering (where everyone was exceedingly more civil with Nick than they had been in the past, even Louis) that Demeter made it clear.

 

“Oh, darling, the gold freckles? One of your greatest gifts, I remember from your early youth. A sign of complete contentment, is what we discovered. You were the  _ happiest _ child.” She slowly smirked, glancing over at Nick. “If they’re returning, it means only good things, I promise.”

 

Complete contentment. Harry could feel it. He could feel it when he kissed Nick “Hello” and “Goodbye”, when they were wrapped up in each other, when they babied the dogs together, when he heard the reverent “Springling” come from Nick’s mouth. He felt it then, as he watched Nick and Niall banter over shoes (“ _ Really, _ Niall, those sandals are  _ so  _ outdated. You deserve better.”). He felt it as he reached for Nick’s hand under the dinner table.

  
Life was  _ happy  _ for Harry. He would never complain about that, ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tis officially done!! thank you for reading and pls follow me on tumblr @astroharrie so we can freak out about gryles and solo harry and bbc radio 1 breakfast show and everything~~~~~~

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr @astroharrie !!  
> thank you for reading i love you  
> (the epilogue is nEXT!!!)


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